World Class!

Just awesome street parade guys.

WCMSB2011

Hey guys,

just back in town...in time for WCMSB2011. Don't forget see you guys there!

WCMSB2011

Hey guys,

just back in town...in time for WCMSB2011. Don't forget see you guys there!

BandBangers: As July Draws Closer and Malaysian Marching Bands ...

BandBangers: As July Draws Closer and Malaysian Marching Bands ...: "As July draws closer Malaysian school macrhing bands wake up from their year long slumber to gear up for competition. As the usual stuff eac..."

As July Draws Closer and Malaysian Marching Bands Come Alive

As July draws closer Malaysian school macrhing bands wake up from their year long slumber to gear up for competition. As the usual stuff each year we have bands planning to win, some "wishing" to win and one oredi know they are going to win! So what's new this year? Well on the local scene not much. I received a comment last week from a particular band supporter declaring confidently they are going to be national champs this year.. And honestly I think he is right because he has his facts and also other "important" ingredients to make that prediction a reality. Compounded by a weak challenge and the pull out of so many bands, I am sure his confidence is justified.

I am also happy to note that Penang ( my home state ) has taken one step further by organising their own state competition. The reasons being I am told is to compete against only the best and to maintain the standards of Penang bands. Kudos Penang! So in "THAT" competition this year we will not have bands from Penang, Sarawak, Sabah, Trengganu (for sure) and  Perak and Johor ( top bands won't be joining)..ie. that is to say almost everybody will not be there...except ASMA (maybe). So good luck to ASMA! I am sure they will try their best to beat "this" band. If they fail (which I doubt) they then know they are in the wrong competition...But if they win sadly they will not be getting the recognition they deserve as the field is so weaken that no one will really pay any attention. Catch 22...hmmmm

It is NOT Natcomp!

Hey guys,

I have been inundated these past few weeks with emails about NATCOMP. "Hey robin, what's your opinion on NATCOMP?" "Robin why no reaction from you regarding NATCOMP?" Well guys here is my opinion regarding the subject matter; THERE IS NO MORE NATCOMP SINCE 2009! So guys get real! Wakey wakey! Hellooo......!!

NATCOMP as we call it or Pertandingan Pancaragam Sekolah Sekolah Menengah Malaysia "died" in 2009. You see...that was the last year that Ministry of Education ORGANISED (that's the key word here) the NATCOMP. After that year it was taken over by a private body, in this case Z.I. Production. "So what?!" you say! Well let me explain......

In 2010 we had  Z.I. Production organising a local band competition for school bands after they were GIVEN PERMISSION (the key word here) by the ministry to organise one. " Hey Robin you are splitting hairs here"! , I can already hear that coming! Well chill!..Read what I write carefully..The Difference...

For one the MOE competition had a totally different focus and different type of rules and different type of judges. We did not have zones and we did not have different scoring system.

The one Z.I. organised had a new scoring system, a new set of judges, a different focus and a different set of rules. I dare say that after last year's debacle they will come out AGAIN....with a new scoring system, a new set of judges, a different focus and a different set of rules! I rest my case. One thing for sure we all know which "band" will win...and we all know which band will never participate in that competition! So there you have it!PROGRESS!haha!

But the most damning argument comes from the MOE. When a certain school complained to MOE last year regarding the "NATCOMP" the official reply was " pihak kementerian TIDAK TERLIBAT di dalam pertandingan pancaragam tersebut. Kami hanya berikan kebenaran untuk menjemput pancaragam sekolah"! And when a certain party last year enquired at a certain jabatan pelajaran negeri regarding the "NATCOMP" the reply was "jabatan tidak terlibat langsung. Ianya pertandingan anjuran swasta"!

So who can lay claim to NATCOMP? My reply is NO ONE. What we have now are privately organised competition which have nothing to do with the MOE except that school bands are allowed to take part. So for you guys out there you now have choices but NO NATCOMP!

My conclusion is NATCOMP IS DEAD.  R.I.P.

Cool website by World Championship!

Hey guys,
Just saw the new website for World Championship Marching Show Bands 2011. Chek it out!

www.wcmsb2011.com

What's up?

Hey everyone,
I'm back! Just got home to good ole Malaysia. First thing I did was have a glass of teh tarik at my favourite mamak stall in Penang and met up with a few good friends. So how's things since then? Well, I got 52 responses from you all. Remember my challenge to get a hundred responses on  "What is your band's new year resolution"? 52 responses ain't bad...although it fell short of a hundred I was asking for. So you  got me off the hook!..so to speak ( I don't have to organise the gathering I promised)...but I'm feeling "magnanimous" today, and I am going to organise it just the same. So for 52 of you out there an invitation will be coming your way soon! For the rest of you fill me in on what has been happening in the Malaysian marching band scene these past few months. Who is organising the Natcomp? Update me...don't spare the "gory" details! hehe. So keep it coming. Ahh...Sure is good to be back home.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MARCHING SHOW BANDS this July: 16 countries so far!

Hey guys just got this fresh from the oven. This is the confirmed list of bands/ countries taking part in World Championship Marching Show Bands this July in KL as at 1st January 2011...According to sources more bands will be confirming their participation in the next few months. Here goes..!

1. Canada - 2 bands
2. China
3.Taiwan
4.Czech Republic
5.Singapore
6.Denmark
7.Holland
8.Thailand- 3 bands
9.Indonesia- 3bands
10.South Africa
11.Columbia
12.Italy
13. Hong Kong - 3 bands
14. Japan
15. Germany
16. Malaysia

This  definitely IS an opportunity not to be missed by Malaysian bands. Compete against the best! Compete against the World! Go for it!

Hello 2011! What Is Your New Year Resolution?

Hey guys,

Welcome to  2011!...almost February and this is only my first post this year. Sorry about that. Have been away..and am still away at the moment in the US on work assignment. Is there anything going on in the Malaysian band scene at the moment? Everything is a bit quiet isn't it?....or is it??hehe.

Today's topic is...What is your New Year resolution? (Che...like school teacher meh) hehe. Mine is simple...to be myself...good old Robin...straight as an arrow...shoot from the hip, to speak out without fear or favour,...to tell it as it is in this blog so that people are well informed and get along with others who share the same passion.

You see...it being still "relatively" a new year and all.. it is still not too late to plan on what we intend to do for this year...take your bands for example! I think it is time that we really think what we want our bands to achieve.

" Eon" years ago people set goals and these goals were followed by others and these became known as time goes by as traditions. And these "traditions" became a yardstick for further development. So people set goals to achieve....Moving on to 2011...NOW we don't call them traditions (old school la)...we call them KRA- Key Result Area...We also hear of KPI- Key Performance Indicator. The government recently launched ETP- Economic Transformation Plan ( see I oso read a lot meh...not only obsessed with Malaysian band scene...unlike some people...hehe)

So lets ask ourselves what is the KRA or KPI of Malaysian school bands? Does any school have a "BTP"? (Band Transformation Plan??). Before you even attempt to answer that... STOP! I challenge you to sit down with a group of friends and discuss this in detail! It is not an individual's job to answer that question! It is not an individual's EGO trip to say "I know how to solve this!" THIS is the problem with our band scene... we leave it to some "demented" ( maksudnya gila la) individual to tell us "Hey this is MY dream and others follow me!"

To me a "real" KRA or KPI for your band is to set high standards. It should target being world beaters! I DIDN'T SAY WORLD CHAMPION coz now as you know Malaysia have so many "World" body hehe ( I can't help that). Key Result Area should not only cover music but also other areas such as for example..academic performance should not be affected by band activities. It should also include which type of competition your school enters. What kind of standard are you targeting your band to achieve? The days of bands setting 'jaguh kampong' standard is over! Bands should not take part in competitions which is sub standard not only because are you being conned, but also because the world has moved on to higher standards and a faster tempo. We need to catch up with the rest of the world. Since 2007 we have been exposed to world class bands...THAT my frenzs is the new standard!

KRA should say - I want the best trumpet players in my band or I want my band to improve by ten folds.  So the KRA should be matched over a time period against a KPI ( a set of targets to achieve) for example being World  Champ. Is that achievable? YES it is! The Thais have done it so many times at world class competitions in europe. NOW take up my challenge meet up any where and every where...be it in Miri, KK, KL, Selangor, Kedah, Penang, Kuantan (did I miss out anyone?? Sori k if I did! hehe)...and DISCUSS and DECIDE! What The KRA and KPI of the Malaysian band scene should be. Tell your teachers what you want your BTP to be! . TRANSFORM YOUR BANDS! Set higher standards! Should we believe what others say about us?(like Misterrr Billl) No! I think we have confidence enough to say that we are ready to challenge the world!

Look, I'm already almost 30. I am now in the USA. The world is ours for the taking. It is not just about marching bands my frenzs..it is about seeking your full potential. Go for it!

I hope this post will generate a lot of positive discussions among The Band Members and Teachers. I throw you another challenge..if I get a hundred reply from this post I will organise a get together when I get back next month. Then we all can meet up. A hundred reply and we'll meet up! Anyway I am meeting a few  frenzs here later on to "talk shop" kopitiam style...and catch up on things in Malaysia.